18.20.050 City of Anacortes register of historic places.
A. Criteria for Determining Designation in the Register. Any building, structure, site, or object may be designated for inclusion in the city register of historic places if it is significantly associated with the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or cultural heritage of the community; if it has integrity; if it is at least fifty years old, or is of a lesser age and has exceptional importance; and if it falls into at least one of the following categories:
1. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of national, state, or local history;
2. Embodies the distinctive architectural characteristics of a type, period, style or method of design or construction, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
3. Is an outstanding work of a designer, builder or architect who has made a substantial contribution to the art;
4. Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the city’s cultural, social, economic, political, aesthetic, engineering, or architectural history;
5. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in national, state, or local history;
6. Has yielded or may be likely to yield important archaeological information related to history or prehistory;
7. Is a building or structure removed from its original location but which is significant primarily for architectural value, or which is the only surviving structure significantly associated with an historic person or event;
8. Is a birthplace or grave of an historical figure of outstanding importance and is the only surviving structure or site associated with that person;
9. Is a cemetery that derives its primary significance from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events or cultural patterns;
10. Is a reconstructed building that has been executed in a historically accurate manner on the original site;
11. Is a creative and unique example of folk architecture and design created by persons not formally trained in the architectural or design professions, and which does not fit into formal architectural or historical categories.
B. Process for Designating Properties to the City Register of Historic Places.
1. Any person may nominate a building, structure, site or object for inclusion in the city register of historic places. Properties may only be registered with the owner’s consent. Members of the historic preservation board or the board as a whole may generate nominations. In its designation decision, the board shall consider the Anacortes historic inventory and the city comprehensive plan.
2. In the case of individual properties, the designation shall include the UTM reference and all features—interior and exterior—and outbuildings that contribute to its designation.
3. The historic preservation board shall consider the merits of the nomination, according to the criteria in subsection A of this section and according to the nomination review standards established in rules at a public meeting.
Adequate notice will be given to the public, the owner(s) and the authors of the nomination, if different, and lessees, if any, of the subject property prior to the public meeting according to standards for public meetings established in rules and in compliance with Chapter 42.30 RCW, Open Public Meetings Act. Such notice shall include publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the Anacortes area and posting of the property. If the board finds that the nominated property is eligible for the city register of historic places, and secures the owner’s consent, the board shall make a recommendation to the Anacortes city council that the property be listed in the register. The public, property owner(s) and the authors of the nomination, if different, and lessees; if any, shall be notified of the listing.
4. Properties listed on the city register of historic places shall be recorded on official building permit records with an “HR” (for historic register) designation. This designation shall not change or modify the underlying zone classification.
C. Removal of Properties from the Register. In the event that any property is no longer deemed appropriate for designation to the city register of historic places, the board may initiate removal from such designation by the same procedure as provided for in establishing the designation in subsection A of this section. A property may be removed from the city register without the owner’s consent.
A property may be removed from designation by the owner upon proper notification of the board.
D. Effects of Listing on the Register.
1. Listing on the city register of historic places is an honorary designation denoting significant association with the historic, archaeological, architectural, engineering, or cultural heritage of the community. Properties are listed individually.
2. Prior to the commencement of any repair or rehabilitation on a register property, excluding ordinary repair and maintenance and emergency measures defined in Section 18.20.080(C)(4), the owner must request and receive a certificate of appropriateness from the board for the proposed work. Violation of this rule shall be grounds for the board to review the property for removal from the register.
3. Prior to whole or partial demolition of a register property, the owner must request and receive a waiver of a certification of appropriateness.
4. Once the city is certified as a Certified Local Government (CLG), all properties listed on the city register of historic places may be eligible for a special tax valuation on their rehabilitation (See Section 18.20.080). (Ord. 2530 § 5, 2000)